Future Ford Vehicles Could Translate Messages For Occupants

Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a vehicle interface control system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, Ford Authority has learned.

The patent was filed on June 9^th, 2023, published on December 12^th, 2024, and assigned serial number 0412010.

The Ford Authority Take

Ford has explored various ways that its future vehicles may better communicate in various ways, publishing patents for ideas such as a remote maneuvering system with a series of cameras and screens that enable people on the inside and outside to communicate with and see each other, as well as an adaptive loudspeaker system that could help better communicate with others in noisy environments such as worksites. Now, this newly published patent introduces us to an idea for a vehicle interface control system that may be used in future Ford vehicles, too.

Somewhat like the aforementioned patents, this system seeks to give the occupants of a vehicle a more effective way to communicate with others, whether they be located inside or outside of that vehicle, as well as if they’re speaking a different language. This system would utilize a microphone and a camera coupled with a special computer, and could translate that language into another automatically, much the way some smartphone features – like Google Translate – already do.

The difference here is, this system would obviously be built into the vehicle, and would also rely on monitors to display that translated text. Such a thing could be quite useful on job sites where workers don’t speak English yet might need to communicate with those that do, and vice versa, for example. It could also prove handy for those visiting another country with a native language that they aren’t familiar with, enabling them to communicate with others without having to resort to a smartphone app or other methods.